Shadow Brexit secretary @Keir_Starmer says Labour’s people’s vote would be between “a credible leave option and remain” and he would personally vote for remain @BBCnickrobinson | #r4Today | https://t.co/MhiOGJ8gng pic.twitter.com/go6sbXLX6Q— BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) February 26, 2019Keir Starmer has said Labour’s support for another referendum would take the form of a “lock” on any Brexit deal.Appearing on Radio 4’s Today programme this morning, the Shadow Brexit Secretary said: “If her deal gets through, then that deal is subject to… the lock of a public vote.”He added: “The vote would have to be between a credible Leave option and Remain as the other option.”On how he would vote in that referendum, Starmer confirmed he would vote Remain, “not least because I’ve spent two years attacking the approach of the Prime Minister, which I think has been blinkered”.Asked whether Jeremy Corbyn would vote Remain in a fresh referendum, Starmer replied: “Jeremy will obviously speak for himself but he voted for Remain last time, and he like me has attacked the Prime Minister’s deal.”Emily Thornberry said that the Labour leader would vote Remain when asked the same question yesterday.Tags:Labour /Jeremy Corbyn /Brexit /People’s Vote /read more

Whatever the magic formula for that date was, by the end, Gormik said the staff and the couple were hugging their goodbyes, like old friends. Years later, the couple still comes in – now married and with two children.Josey White, who runs the Front Porch just outside the Mission in Bernal Heights and has also seen her fair share of first dates turn to marriages, says the really, deeply in-love couples coming in for their many-year anniversaries distinguish themselves with their good manners.“Usually a when a couple mentions it’s their anniversary, it’s often an older couple…I always bring them a glass of champagne. You can tell that they’re just in love and it’s like their 25th anniversary,” White said. “They’re so easy to deal with. They’re not high maintenance, and they know exactly what they want, they’re really good at communicating and …they’re not like calling you over every five minutes, they’re humble and good people and you’re just like, ‘Ah. Now I see why you’ve been together for 25 years.”Others, not so much. Brianna Deoitte, who works at the Front Porch as well as at Emmy’s Spaghetti Shack, has seen things go decidedly south.“I do remember one guy and this lady on a first date, and the dude kept falling asleep at the table,” Beiotte remembers. “I was like, are you guys ready for the check? And he was like, no, bring me another beer.”Sometimes love isn’t necessarily between the two people going on the date. At St. Francis Fountain on 24th Street, it can be more about nostalgia. “You’ll have people who come in here, they’ll look around and have a weird smile on their face,” said St. Francis Fountain server Jay Alper, “And they’ll say, ‘my girlfriend worked here in the 60s, I’m so happy to be here.”Whether it’s the fare or the blast from the past (the restaurant hasn’t changed much in nearly a century of business), something about the place speaks to people. “A lot of people have first dates here, you can tell,” Alper says. “Some people will come right out and tell you.” This Valentine’s Day, St. Francis Fountain, true to nostalgic form, will open its doors to anyone who wants to play Scrabble and listen to records – plus, maybe play some Valentine’s day trivia. Compare that with the most common type of date bartender Bekir Akkus sees at L’Emigrante, a wine bar on Mission Street, and one of two Cha Cha Cha restaurants a few blocks away on Mission Street.Bekin and Daniel, bartenders at Cha Cha Cha. Photo by Michael Nolan“Many online dating couples come to L’Emigrante. You can notice them by the physical distance they maintain while talking to one another,” Akkus said. “They try to be charming and impress one another with their job and their social life, and what they do with their free time.” While their smiles might be just a touch fake, and they often steer away from conversation about the past or their family backgrounds, Akkus observes, the couples patiently wait as the other speaks, careful not to interrupt one another. “If I were in such a conversation, I would talk about the future and where I might expect to be in five years,” Akkus noted.But for Akkus himself, Valentine’s Day is not about polite small-talk. A native of Konya, Turkey, Bekir turns 30 on Feb. 15. His wife’s birthday is Feb. 13. Last year, on Feb. 14, they were getting engaged. This Valentine’s Day, he won’t be pouring wine – he’ll be off in Tahoe celebrating. Old and new school dating meet in the Mission’s various haunts, to varying degrees of success – but when love is in the air, it’s palpable. Take, for example, the couple that stands out in Mission Beach Cafe server Dylan Gormik’s mind – The pair came into the cafe still riding out the high of their first date the night before. On that morning six or seven years ago, Gormik remembered, they had spent the whole night together wandering around town and stopped in for a cup of coffee. “They were so into each other, it was clear that these people meant to be together,” Gormik said. “They were talking straight at each other after hours and hours of being up and walking around the city together.”Happy and eager to chat, the couple easily connected with Gormik and his coworker that day. 0% Tags: Business • night life • things to do • valentine’s day Share this: FacebookTwitterRedditemail,0%read more

People arrived at the Buena Vista Horace Mann School gym on 23rd Street recognizing old neighbors and meeting new ones Monday night. They warmly greeted one another, introduced themselves by name and address, then took their seats in crescent rows of black plastic chairs underneath basketball hoops and fluorescent lighting. By November, the space will be transformed into a nocturnal shelter to house 20 of the school’s homeless K-8 students and their families — a maximum of 60 people at a time. The $700,000 program, which expects to secure funding with the Board of Supervisors’ final vote on the budget this afternoon, is believed to be first of its kind in the country. After months of seeking funding from the mayor’s budget proposal and fielding questions and concerns from the school’s parents, the school and district Supervisor Hillary Ronen invited the school’s neighbors to meet on Monday and discuss the project. Clauda DeLarios Morán, Horace Mann’s principal, opened the evening by explaining that the administration was moved to create the shelter because of an increasing number of students who asked staff to spend the night at the school, where they felt safe. Subscribe to Mission Local’s daily newsletter Email Address,0% “It’s like we have a huge mansion in the middle of the Mission District. It’s empty, dry, safe.” There are purportedly about 60 students at the K-8 Mission District school who are homeless. Citywide, there are an estimated 2,100 homeless students.A lot of the details of how the shelter will operate can be determined only after a non-profit is chosen to administer the site. But what is known is that the shelter will operate from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. during the week, and until 10 a.m. on the weekends. Families will be given breakfast and dinner, as well as individual support from staff, in the hope of connecting them with long-term housing solutions. By freeing up the time parents normally have to spend lining up to reserve a spot at a shelter or figuring out where their family can sleep that night, the school hopes the program helps these families get back on their feet. The neighbors’ questions proceeded with neighborly decorum, like a friendly game of tennis that gradually heats up and then ends with a handshake. Many neighbors arrived Monday night eager to offer help. The owner of La Mejor Bakery, located around the corner from the school, supplied two boxes of Mexican pastries for the meeting and wanted to know how else she could help; another woman said she’d like to offer her living room for regular “mother nights,” and a City College dean suggested helping the parents take adult education classes. But others, albeit a minority, did not feel as excited about a shelter coming into their neighborhood.Jeff Cluett, who has owned his home across the street for 21 years, said “it got my dander up” when he got a letter announcing the shelter without engaging any of the neighborhood. Calling it a scandal that more hasn’t been done to help homeless residents of San Francisco, Cluett said, “I admit I wasn’t thrilled, and was disappointed I couldn’t talk about this before it was presented as a fait accompli.” Others voiced more specific concerns about safety and traffic. One neighbor asked how the facility would be staffed and locked at night, and another was concerned about “loitering” and more people doing drugs. “Traffic is a massive problem here,” she said. “I know this sounds petty.”Ronen said the point was taken that organizers did not reach out to neighbors earlier in the process. Liz, who said she’s lived next door to Buena Vista Horace Mann for 26 years and can touch the school from her bathroom window, has four children who have made their way through San Francisco public schools, including one child currently enrolled at Buena Vista. She said she couldn’t be more excited about the shelter.“What you’re gonna get is a woman who doesn’t have to sleep with someone she doesn’t want to. This is real.” Liz implored everyone in the room to “put your money where your mouth is” and support kids in your neighborhood as you might be supporting “kids at the border being put in cages.” “You can’t have your cake and eat it, too. I’m proud to be living next door to something that hasn’t happened in the country yet.”By the end of the meeting, Cluett said he was “cautiously optimistic” for the shelter. Cluett, who had come to the meeting with more than a dozen printed questions, said the meeting had helped clear up a lot of his concerns. “No child should have to go through this,” he said. read more

It was still the first week of school at Monroe Elementary when Paula Silva showed up to volunteer in her son’s fifth-grade classroom. Silva, like so many other Monroe parents, knew her son’s class had started the year with many more students than the established maximum set by both the state of California and the local teachers union — by her count, 11 more kids than the recommended limit of 30. More troubling: they were also without a permanent teacher. But she was not prepared for what she saw that day at around 11:30 a.m.: “A room full of fifth-graders in chaos,” she recalled. Even before entering the classroom, she saw a girl lying on the ground, sticking her head out of the half-open classroom door. She asked the girl what she was doing. “I’m on lookout,” the girl said. On the lookout for the principal, Silva realized. Email Address #SFUSDTeachers #ThankATeacher Our AWESOME parents celebrating our WONDERFUL teachers for Teacher Appreciation Week! pic.twitter.com/Gr8ex7SyJe— Monroe Elementary SF (@monroeSFschool) May 8, 2015 Laura Dudnick, a spokeswoman with the San Francisco Unified School District, said that the district has, one month into the school year, found a permanent teacher for the classroom. Parents confirmed this; they were told that the teacher would begin on Monday. But Dudnick disputed the class size at the beginning of the year. “There are currently 33 students in the class,” Dudnick said in an email. “The class started out with 38 students at the beginning of the school year, not 41.” That’s not what multiple parents told Mission Local and, either way, that’s a lot of kids: The California Department of Education penalizes school districts for having fifth-grade class sizes greater than 29.9 students per one teacher, and the contract between the district and the teachers union recommends fifth-grade classes be limited to 30 students per teacher. “The principal constantly communicated updates to families in the form of letters, calls and family meetings,” Dudnick added. “The District worked around the clock to identify a permanent teacher and provide supports to help with the class in the interim.”Regardless, a number of families — SFUSD says five, parents say eight — have withdrawn their children from the school. That count includes Silva’s son, Lenin. Silva’s partner, Sue Homer, said that only a week after Silva visited the classroom, Lenin was bullied in the hectic classroom environment. “Some kids started laughing at him in back of the room and chanting his name over and over — and the teacher did nothing about it,” Homer said. So Lenin pushed another student and was kicked out of the class. “He came home that night and looked me in the eye and said, ‘Please don’t make me go back to that school,’” Homer said. “He was so rattled that he begged me.”So, the next day, Homer and Silva took him to a nearby Catholic school, School of the Epiphany, and enrolled him days later. “I never wanted to leave Monroe,” Homer said, “but I don’t know what else to do,” Homer said. Homer and Silva are not isolated in their frustration. A cavalcade of angry parents took the mic at an Aug. 28 Board of Education meeting and demanded a reduction of the class’ size and a qualified, Spanish-immersion teacher. “Some parents have already decided to transfer their kids out of the school, and many other parents are considering this as well,” Melissa Rosenberg, a parent, told the board. Danny Kim, also a parent at Monroe, told the school board during the Aug. 28 meeting that he, like Silva and Homer, pulled his son out of the school. On the first day of classes, he claimed, the substitute teacher made fun of his son and another student, and a student threw a pencil at his son’s eye. “At that point we knew, in that particular environment, my son would not be safe,” he said, noting that he had worked for SFUSD as a teacher for 20 years. “And for my son, that meant I needed to pull him out and do what I needed to do as a father — and that’s what I did.” Many of the parents with whom Mission Local spoke said that this issue began when the school’s principal, Kimberly Mackey, opted to merge every fifth grader from three “combo” classes composed of fourth- and fifth-graders into one large fifth-grade class.A newsletter dated May 30 informed parents that the classes would be amalgamated into one class and three of the students’ teachers would be leaving the school. “Once those positions have been onboarded, we will send out notifications to our families” over the summer, it claimed. The school, apparently, could not find those teachers in time. And parents say the class has seen an ever-changing ensemble of substitute teachers since the beginning of the school year, few of whom have been Spanish-speakers. “I’ve never heard my daughter complain about not learning, and she is,” said Peter Hawke, whose daughter is in the class. “That’s terrifying.” Hawke, like all the parents Mission Local spoke to, said the school has lost its sense of community, as many of the familiar teachers left in the last year. “The tragic part is this has always been a small, community-based school,” Hawke said. “It seems that over the last couple of years it’s fallen apart.”Medellin, whose four children either currently attend or once attended the school, estimated that around 16 of Monroe’s 23 teachers have left since the spring. “The morale of students is shot,” she said. “We’d like these kids to succeed in middle school, and this week would mark a month without instruction.” Subscribe to Mission Local’s daily newsletter When Silva entered the classroom, students were playing video games on their phones, prematurely eating their lunches, and playing under their desks. Most distressing to her was the sight of her son sitting alone at his desk amid the chaos. When she asked what was happening, he replied “it’s free time.” And the substitute teacher? “It wasn’t even like she was stressed out about it,” Silva recalled. She seemed “totally cool about it.” This fifth-grade class at Monroe — located in the Excelsior on Madrid Steet just up from Mission — has been without a permanent teacher since the beginning of the school year on Aug. 20 — and parents say their children were the ones to notify them about it following the first day of instruction. Not the school’s administration. “We didn’t know there wasn’t going to be a teacher, and we didn’t know there would be 41 kids in the classroom,” said Rose Medellin, who has two kids attending the school. “We could have been forewarned in the spring.” The classes in question are so-called “Spanish-immersion” classes that require specially trained Spanish-speaking teachers. Some parents said they were under the impression the class would receive two Spanish-immersion teachers in the event of an oversize class. An oversize class did indeed come to pass — but instead they received zero trained Spanish-immersion teachers.read more

NORTH Liverpool was once again taken over by rugby league in March as more than 150 school children participated in the annual Fazakerley Tournament.The inaugural festival saw a fantastic spectacle of rugby league, great teamwork, skills and sportsmanship with Rice Lane Junior School lifting the trophy.The final was a tightly fought contest with Rice Lane taking the spoils with some fantastic running play and stubborn defending.St. Johns Catholic Primary School took the Silver tournament thanks to their numerous speedsters. The bronze trophy went to Barlow’s Primary who were outstanding in defence.The annual event is organised in partnership with Robbie Boardman, S.S.C.O Fazakerley High School and John Farrell, Liverpool Rugby League Development Officer.Robbie Boardman at Fazakerley High School, said: “This event continues to impress; Community Saints have built a strong partnership with Fazakerley High over the last five years and as a result we now have an established Rugby League fan base in the North of the city.”Gordon Pennington, S.C.D.F Director, added: “This partnership goes from strength to strength and we are looking forward to developing Rugby League across the city thanks to North Liverpool’s commitment to sport in the community.”There are now three Liverpool based development squads which are Liverpool Storm, Liverpool Lions and Kirkby Cougars.All participants were encouraged to join the three clubs.read more

WE have an extended interview with retiring club legend Paul Wellens in the latest edition of the Saints In Touch Podcast.He talks about why the has decided to hang up his boots, his career highlights and what the future now holds.Wello also pays tribute to the fans.We also have a Ladbrokes Challenge Cup Quarter Final preview available to download too.It features the thoughts of Kyle Amor and Keiron Cunningham whilst as an added bonus Eamonn McManus talks about the departing Paul Wellens.Podcasts are automatically synced to your device if you subscribe via iTunes or you can listen at our Fanzone page.read more

PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — A holiday update to a story we have been following for months. A little six-year-old girl who lives with juvenile arthritis had her first Christmas with her service dog.Kayleigh Andrews and her service dog Baylee were able to snuggle up under the tree after opening presents this morning.- Advertisement – Kayleigh got Baylee back in May of this year and she has been being trained to help with her balance when she walks and to pick up things for her.The family said Christmas was extra special this year with her best friend by her side.read more

ELON, NC (NEWS RELEASE) As the remnants of Hurricane Michael enter North Carolina and the state experiences its second major storm in a month, a new Elon University Poll explores how threats to coastal communities and potential environmental disasters are being viewed by N.C. voters and how they are approaching policy questions related to climate change.The Elon Poll also sought to find out how people throughout the state were impacted by Hurricane Florence, what they did to prepare and what they might do differently next time.- Advertisement – In its exploration of climate change and environmental regulation policy, the poll found strong support for restricting real estate development in flood-prone areas (76 percent) and for increasing environmental regulations for coal ash ponds (72 percent). Sixty-two percent support incorporating findings from climate change scientists into local government planning and ordinances and 59 percent support increasing environmental regulation for hog farms.More than eight out of 10 said that climate change is “very” or “somewhat” likely to negatively impact the coastal communities of the state within the next 50 years, a slight uptick from when the Elon Poll asked that question in April 2017. More than half of respondents (54 percent) said hurricanes are getting more severe, while 43 percent said they are staying the same.North Carolinians were generally prepared for the high winds and heavy rains brought by Hurricane Florence to the state during mid-September, according to the survey. About three out of four registered voters in the state said the warnings leading up to the storm were on target and that when the next storm threatens, they will prepare the same way as they did for Hurricane Florence.Related Article: Stocks rise along with optimism over US-China trade talks“Because of both the scale of the storm and changing forecasts over time, Hurricane Florence led to warnings for almost every county in North Carolina,” said Jason Husser, director of the Elon Poll and associate professor of political science. “As a result, Hurricane Florence provides a valuable case study to assess disaster readiness in North Carolina.”The most common impact on North Carolinians was power loss, with the survey finding that 42 percent statewide lost power for some period of time during the storm. One in three experienced wind or tree damage on their properties, and 17 percent experienced flooding at their home or workplace, while 14.5 percent were displaced from their homes during the storm for some length of time, the Elon Poll found. However, among those who experienced wind or water damage, about a quarter say they are not receiving the help they need to recover.Bottled water was the most popular item North Carolinians stockpiled as they prepared for the hurricane, followed by flashlights, food, gasoline and cash, according to the survey results.N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper and President Donald Trump earned favorable approval ratings for their response to the storm. Eighty-seven percent of voters said they approved of the response to the hurricane by Cooper and 58 percent said they approved of Trump’s response.Local meteorologists and local news outlets were found to be the most trusted sources of information for making decisions related to natural disasters, earning higher marks than family members, national meteorologists, elected officials and friends.For this survey, the Elon Poll used a blended sample that combined telephone voter list sample with an online opt-in sample. The survey was conducted from Oct. 1-4 and generated 848 responses — 500 online and 348 by telephone — with a credibility interval of +/- 3.6 percent.Hurricanes and policy questionsThe impact of Hurricane Florence on North Carolina renewed discussion around a number of policy questions including development along the coast and in flood-prone areas, the steps that are taken to prevent environmental disasters from flooding and how to assist evacuees during disasters.The Elon Poll found support for a number of policy initiatives, such as restricting real estate development in flood-prone areas, incorporating climate change findings into local government planning and ordinances and increasing environmental regulations for coal ash ponds and at hog farms.A closer look at the responses found major divisions along party lines, particularly when it comes to climate change and environmental regulation. Overall, 62 percent felt that findings from climate change scientists should be incorporated into local government planning and ordinances, but support stood at 76 percent among Democrats and only 47 percent among Republicans.Similarly, when asked about increased environmental regulations for hog farms, 68 percent of Democrats supported that idea compared to just 45 of Republicans while overall 59 percent supported such regulations. Similarly, increased regulation of coal ash ponds was supported by 79 percent of Democrats compared to 64 percent of Republicans, while the overall support was at 73 percent.Democrats were much more likely to say that hurricanes are becoming more severe, with 66 percent holding that view compared to 43 percent of Republicans. Members of the GOP were most likely to say that hurricanes were staying about the same (53 percent), a view held by 30 percent of Democrats.Additionally, women were much more likely to say the severity of hurricanes are increasing. Fifty-nine percent held that view compared to 47 percent of men.Climate change and coastal communitiesRespondents were also asked how likely they think it is that climate change will have a negative impact on N.C. coastal communities, a question asked by the Elon Poll conducted in April 2017.At that time, 45 percent of all respondents said a negative impact from climate change was “very likely,” 28 percent said it was “somewhat likely” and 23 percent said it was “not at all likely.”Since then, opinions have shifted toward North Carolinians believing that such a negative impact on coastal communities from climate change is more likely. Overall, 52 percent believe it is “very likely” and 31 percent believe it is somewhat likely while 17 percent say that it is “not at all likely.”That shift appears to be driven by changes in responses from Republicans. While in April 2017, 45 percent of Republicans said “not at all likely,” this survey found that view held by 31 percent of Republicans now. Now, 37 percent of Republicans say that negative impacts from climate change are “very likely” compared to just 13 percent who held that view in April 2017.“Measuring the extent and isolating the causes of changes in voter attitudes on issues like climate change is difficult for pollsters from a methodological perspective,” Husser said. “However, our results suggest that Hurricane Florence has led to a shift in some voters’ attitudes on climate change. This is in line with a number of academic studies finding that personal, local weather experiences are important in how people respond to what climate scientists describe as a global pattern.”This question also showed splits along educational and gender lines, with those respondents with at least a bachelor’s degree and female respondents both more inclined to believe negative impacts from climate change were “very likely.”Preparing for the next stormGiven North Carolina’s position along the East Coast and the frequency with which it is impacted by hurricanes, the Elon Poll sought to determine how experiences during Hurricane Florence might be impacting how North Carolinians might view the next storm to come their way.The survey found that about a quarter of the state — 26 percent — said they would prepare more next time while only 2 percent said they would make fewer preparations next time. Seventy-one percent said that they would make the same preparations when confronted with the forecast of a hurricane heading toward the state.With Hurricane Florence and its slow pace through the Atlantic Ocean, many were keeping a close eye on changes in the forecast, with the storm eventually taking a much more westerly route once making landfall. About one in four — 28 percent — said they would be more likely to believe weather reports when the next storm approaches while 7.5 percent said they would be less likely to believe those reports. About two in three —64 percent — said their experience during Hurricane Florence would have not impact on how much they believe weather reports.Federal, state and local officials offered multiple warnings about how Hurricane Florence would impact the state, and 77 percent of respondents said those warnings were on target with the actual threat that the state faced and the impact that the hurricane had. Seventeen percent of respondents said those warnings were overstated while 6 percent said they didn’t go far enough, the poll found.“If North Carolinians prepare similarly before a future storm, most are likely to have water, food and flashlights,” Husser said. “However, emergency officials should note our results that many did not acquire extra gasoline and cash. I hope those officials will also consider that a small, yet substantively important, percentage of voters say their experiences with Florence made them less likely to believe weather reports the next time a storm is forecasted to hit their area. This creates a danger of ignored warnings next time.”North Carolinians processed information about the hurricane and its potential impact from a variety of sources. Local meteorologists and local news ranked as the most trustworthy, with 31 percent of respondents saying that they are the most likely to trust those sources when making disaster decisions. Eighteen percent said they trusted no one but themselves while 17 percent said they trusted national meteorologists and national news. Family members came next, with 14 percent saying they were to be trusted most for advice when confronted with a disaster.read more

TABOR CITY, NC (WWAY) — It’s a throwback to simpler times. An old-fashioned drive-in movie theater has opened in Tabor City.Stateline Movie Time, located at 3851 Dothan Road, was an idea dreamt up by Sherry Barnes.- Advertisement – Barnes says she loves kids and wanted to create an affordable way for families to come have fun.“We need something for the kids and the families,” Barnes said. “We need to get back to wholesome values, we need to get back to some good morals, and I intend to be the very best influence on these children, and help the parents, help the schools, help our community.”Barnes says she was approved to build a number of houses on the land, but decided to do something a little more rewarding.Related Article: ‘Who’s The Boss?’ star Katherine Helmond has died“I don’t expect to make a lot of money. That’s not the issue here. The issue is a wholesome family environment,” she said.She says she did just about everything herself including building the housing for the projector, installing the projector, designing and painting the screen, leveling the ground, and setting up the sound system. All of this while overcoming her own obstacles.“I was hit by a drunk driver about 3 o’clock in the afternoon. And I spent seven years in surgeries and procedures so I could walk again,” Barnes said.WWAY asked Barnes what drives her to do this after everything she’s been through. She says it’s simple.“God gave me a second chance, my passenger wasn’t that lucky. During all the pain and the surgeries, I thought she was luckier than I was,” Barnes said. “But God has his plans. And there’s nothing better in the world to me than little children. And I’d take them all if I could, I probably should’ve had an orphanage. But this way I can give them back.”Thursday was the grand opening night. Missing Link, which is an animated family adventure, was the first movie shown followed by The Hustle, a PG-13 rated comedy.Adults are $10 and $8 for senior citizens and veterans, and $5 for kids under five. Stateline Movie Time will be open Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.There will be pizza, hamburgers, hot dogs, and popcorn for sale along with Pepsi products.It is pet-friendly, but dogs must be on a leash.Barnes has big plans to add even more activities in the future like a playground for the kids and axe throwing for adults.Buy tickets here.read more

ArkivjiArkivji A 22 year old man is in a life-threatening condition after he lost control of is motorcycle which he was driving in Gozo.Newsbook.com.mt was informed that the accident, which happened at around 2:00pm, occurred at Triq ix-Xħajma, in Xewkija. The reason which led the man to lose control of his vehicle is still unknown.An ambulance was called on site and the victim was taken to Gozo’s General Hospital. He was later certified that he is suffering from serious injuries and is in a critical condition.A Magisterial Inquiry was appointed and Police investigations are underway. SharePrint Photos: ArchivesWhatsApp <a href=’http://revive.newsbook.com.mt/www/delivery/ck.php?n=ab2c8853&amp;cb={random}’ target=’_blank’><img src=’https://revive.newsbook.com.mt/www/delivery/avw.php?zoneid=97&amp;cb={random}&amp;n=ab2c8853&amp;ct0={clickurl_enc}’ border=’0′ alt=” /></a>read more

Advertisement Google launched on Tuesday an iOS app for its new much-hyped Chromecast device, which plugs into any HDTV to let you watch online videos.The $35 HDMI dongle made waves earlier this summer when Google announced its debut alongside the next-generation Nexus 7 tablet and Android 4.3. When plugged into a TV, web content can be streamed and controlled via Android devices, iPhones, iPads as well as computers (through the Chrome browser).The app will allow users to manage the settings and set up the Chromecast through an iOS device. The app scans for Chromecasts you’ve previously set up on your Wi-Fi network and makes it easy to set up new ones. To download the app now, click here. – Advertisement – [related-posts]The dongle already supports Vimeo, Redbox Instant, Netflix and YouTube and compatibility with HBO Go and Hulu Plus in rumored to be coming in the near future. It has been heralded as a potential Apple TV killer.The iOS app news comes just one day after Google blocked an app called AllCast, which had let users stream photos and videos to the Chromecast. The app’s developer took to Google+ to say how only approved content and non-independent developed programs will make its way to Chromecast, which could hinder the dongle’s ultimate success.Credit: Mashableread more

Image Credit: WeBlogForLove Advertisement The No Sheet is a computerized interactive tablet with LCD screen that displays “sheet” music for use by musicians.The No Sheet device is programed to automatically advance the music as needed as well as provide the appropriate music for the instrument being played. Better yet, users can also write and create their own music using display options. The design intent is to provide musicians of all types of instruments with a more efficient and effective means of managing music while playing. The No Sheet is generally rectangular in shape and comprised of a grounded LCD or plasma panel on which the sheet music is displayed. The lightweight screen is similar to traditional sheet music sized and displayed on a standard upright music stand.It has a high resolution digital screen with adjustable font sizes to enable a musician to customize the screen according to their preference and visual needs. – Advertisement – It also has a light source to illuminate the screen in dark environments. There are various other benefits of using No Sheet.read more

Advertisement As it was rumored, Tumblr finally announced support for live video on its service.The new feature will allow Tumblr users to live stream video directly to their followers’ Dashboards, and will also be able to send out push notifications when users go live or reblog a live stream.However, Tumblr not hosting ti own service. Instead, it is integrating with existing services of YouTube, YouNow, Kanvas and Upclose, with Tumblr acting as the publishing and discovery platform for those streams. – Advertisement – All partner apps already support live video streaming to Tumblr on both iOS and Android, except for YouTube which will have iOS support available in a few more days.Once you share a live video to Tumblr, a push notification will be sent out to all your Tumblr followers. Followers will be alerted also if you republish a live video.read more

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ShareDavid Ruth713-348-6327david@rice.eduJeff Falk713-348-6775jfalk@rice.eduBaker Institute report: US needs to play key role in re-engaging Israelis and Palestinians in peace negotiationsReport provides specific recommendations for reaching a two-state solutionHOUSTON — (March 14, 2013) — A new report from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy lays out specific recommendations for the U.S. administration to advance prospects for a two-state solution. Titled “Re-engaging the Israelis and the Palestinians: Why an American Role in Initiating Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations is Necessary and How It Can Be Accomplished,” the report is the result of a year-long project involving Israeli and Palestinian working groups chaired by Edward Djerejian, the Baker Institute’s founding director and former U.S. ambassador to Syria and Israel. The report was issued a week before President Barack Obama’s visit to Israel, the West Bank and Jordan.“This report is intended to demonstrate to policymakers, particularly in the United States, Israel and Palestine, that despite current adverse circumstances, viable and sustainable negotiations can be initiated and lead to a two-state solution,” Djerejian said. “A core concept for potential United States engagement in peacemaking is clearly defined. This study contends that proactive United States engagement is the only policy option that has the potential of creating a realistic policy trajectory of peace and stability building in the Middle East and re-establishing United States leadership in the region.”The main components of the proposed strategy depend on the determination of the United States administration to announce general terms of reference for the negotiations to which the parties can aspire; negotiate and sign proposed memorandums of understanding with the government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority to address their respective considerations and concerns; and call upon the parties to start direct negotiations in fast and graduated tracks with the obligation to build on areas of agreement reached and continue until a final settlement is reached.According to the report, U.S. engagement should aim to achieve a comprehensive Palestinian-Israeli peace agreement as a first step toward achieving a broader Arab-Israeli peace when regional circumstances allow. The parameters of the end state should be broad enough to allow buy-in from both Israelis, Palestinians and regional stakeholders, while at the same time be sufficiently defined to ensure breakthroughs and avoid a deadlock in negotiations. They should also be linked to the Arab Peace Initiative of 2002. The objective of the fast-track negotiations, in particular, is to create positive developments on the ground and to lead to a more sustainable path at the negotiating table to reach final status negotiations.The report proposes an international supportive framework and backstopping initiatives. The report also proposes engaging regional and international support through a new international group expanded from the Quartet (the United Nations, United States, European Union and Russia) and facilitating a monitoring and oversight structure for negotiations.This report builds on the Baker Institute’s 2010 report, “Getting to the Territorial Endgame of an Israeli-Palestinian Peace Settlement,” and addresses the prospects for negotiations under current political, economic and security considerations in the region. Special attention is paid to the environment for negotiations in Israel and Palestine, respectively.The full report is available on the Baker Institute’s website at: http://www.bakerinstitute.org/Israeli-Palestinian-Report-2013.-30-To schedule an interview with Djerejian, contact David Ruth, director of national media relations at Rice, at david@rice.edu or 713-348-6327.Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews.Follow the Baker Institute via Twitter @BakerInstitute.Related materials:Edward Djerejian AddThis Djerejian biography: http://www.bakerinstitute.org/personnel/fellows-scholars/edjerejian.Founded in 1993, the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University in Houston ranks among the top 20 university-affiliated think tanks globally and top 30 think tanks in the United States. As a premier nonpartisan think tank, the institute conducts research on domestic and foreign policy issues with the goal of bridging the gap between the theory and practice of public policy. The institute’s strong track record of achievement reflects the work of its endowed fellows and Rice University scholars. Learn more about the institute at www.bakerinstitute.org or on the institute’s blog, http://blogs.chron.com/bakerblog. read more

FacebookTwitterPrintEmailAddThis ShareMEDIA CONTACTS:David Ruth713-348-6327david@rice.eduJade Boyd713-348-6778jadeboyd@rice.eduA swarm on every desktop: Robotics experts learn from publicSwarm robotics researchers at Rice University gather data with online gameHOUSTON — (Sept. 9, 2013) — The next experiment from Rice University’s Multi-Robot Systems Laboratory (MRSL) could happen on your desktop. The lab’s researchers are refining their control algorithms for robotic swarms based upon data from five free online games that anyone can play.Postdoctoral researcher Aaron Becker designed a new control algorithm that allows swarms of r-one robots from Rice’s Multi-Robot Systems Laboratory to complete complex tasks — including spelling out Rice’s trademark R.“What we learn from the game and our lab experiments applies directly to real-world challenges,” said Aaron Becker, a postdoctoral researcher at MRSL. “For example, if a doctor had a swarm of several thousand microscopic robots, each carrying a tiny payload of anti-cancer drugs, might it be possible to have them all converge on a tumor using magnetic signals from an MRI machine?”In the games, players use simple commands to move groups of robots through mazes and around obstacles. Sometimes the goal is to push a larger object to a particular spot. Other times the goal is to move the collective to a target or to have it assume a specific shape. Each time a game is played, the website collects information about how the task was completed. Becker said the data will be used to develop new control algorithms for robot swarms.“The data from these games will help us better understand how to use multi-robot systems with massive populations to perform coordinated, complex tasks,” said lab director James McLurkin, assistant professor of computer science at Rice.To demonstrate the kind of complex behaviors that can be achieved with simple commands, Becker videotaped an experiment over the Labor Day weekend in which a swarm of a dozen randomly scattered r-one robots were directed to form a complex shape — a capital R. To direct the robots, Becker used a basic controller — a simple one-button, ’80s-era videogame joystick that was capable of giving only two commands: rotate and roll forward.“The robots are all connected to the same joystick, so each robot received exactly the same commands,” Becker said.The experiments were the latest to use the r-one, an inexpensive yet sophisticated multi-robot system that McLurkin began designing in 2009. Each bagel-sized r-one has a radio, a motor, two wheels, dozens of sensors and onboard electronics. R-ones are up to 10 times less expensive than previously available research-grade swarm robots.In the Labor Day experiment, Becker’s control algorithm directed each r-one in the swarm to a unique, pre-programmed, end position. The algorithm did this by taking advantage of slight differences in each robot’s response to the two simple commands. In a computer simulation, Becker also showed how the same technique could be used to direct a 120-robot swarm to both spell out “Rice” and display the shape of the university’s owl mascot.“The controller commands all the robots to rotate, and prior to giving the forward command, the controller measures the location and orientation of each member of the swarm with an overhead camera,” Becker said. “The algorithm collapses all of that information into a single number — a measurement of error — and tries to make this error as small as possible.To reduce the error measure, the controller exploits “rotational noise.”“Each time the joystick tells the robots to turn, every robot turns a slightly different amount due to random wheel slip,” Becker said. “The controller uses these differences to slowly drive the swarm to its goal. This is where the algorithmic results are critical. It might take thousands of individual commands to produce a complex shape, but the proof shows that the algorithm will always produce the desired goal positions.”“It’s counterintuitive,” McLurkin said. “Common sense would seem to indicate that you’d need to issue individual commands to each robot to move the group into complex patterns, but that is not the case. The beauty of the algorithm is that each simple move brings the entire group closer to the goal.”He said the demonstration is the first step toward a more ambitious goal.“Aaron’s new work is aimed at using environmental obstacles to perform more complex tasks and to simultaneously control hundreds or thousands of robots,” McLurkin said. “That may sound like science fiction, but Rice chemist James Tour is developing massive populations of nanorobots right now, just two buildings over. His group can build many trillions of these in a single batch.”Becker said the current algorithm is slow, and data from the online games will be used to design new control algorithms that are as much as 200 times faster.Becker, who will wrap up a yearlong postdoctoral stint at MRSL later this month, will continue his research at his next postdoctoral assignment at Harvard University and Boston Children’s Hospital.MRSL research is supported by the National Science Foundation.###VIDEO is available at:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsbcIgHRSMA&list=PLYZT24lofrjX0COcX1Z5APiC_QeyN2mErHigh-resolution IMAGES are available for download at:http://news.rice.edu/files/2013/09/0909-ROBOT-becker-lg.jpgCAPTION: Postdoctoral researcher Aaron Becker designed a new control algorithm that allows swarms of r-one robots from Rice’s Multi-Robot Systems Laboratory to complete complex tasks — including spelling out Rice’s trademark R.CREDIT: Jeff Fitlow/Rice UniversityLinks:http://www.swarmcontrol.nethttp://mrsl.rice.edu/publicationshttp://www.youtube.com/user/aabecker5Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 3,708 undergraduates and 2,374 graduate students, Rice’s undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice has been ranked No. 1 for best quality of life multiple times by the Princeton Review and No. 2 for “best value” among private universities by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. To read “What they’re saying about Rice,” go to http://tinyurl.com/AboutRiceU.read more

http://news.rice.edu/files/2017/04/0410_FEELS-3-web-1dm4po5.jpgFour strategically placed sensors were built into the sole of a prototype shoe created by Rice University engineering students. The sensory feedback device is intended to prevent falls in people with impaired sensation in their feet. (Credit: Jeff Fitlow/Rice University) Share7Editor’s note: Links to video and high-resolution images for download appear at the end of this release. David Ruth713-348-6327david@rice.eduMike Williams713-348-6728mikewilliams@rice.eduHear the buzz about seniors’ sensor-laden shoes Rice University students developing inserts to help elderly and others avoid falls HOUSTON – (April 5, 2017) –Rice University bioengineering students are building a device that can help people who have impaired sensation in their feet stay upright and avoid falls.The students expect what exists currently as a tangle of wires, sensors, circuits and motors will someday be a simple powered insole that can go into any shoe to provide additional tactile sensation to improve the wearer’s motor skills.That sensory feedback could prevent a tumble. For many elderly and patients with diabetes who might have lost some ability to feel their extremities, that can be a lifesaver.Rice engineering students developed a sensor system that can help the elderly and those with impaired sensation in their feet avoid falls. From left: Daniel Zhang, Suzanne Wen, Yuqi Tang, Megan Kehoe and Allen Hu. Photo by Jeff FitlowThe team of Megan Kehoe, Yuqi Tang, Suzanne Wen, Daniel Zhang and Allen Hu, senior bioengineering majors working with faculty adviser Eric Richardson, accepted the challenge posed by Dr. Mehdi Razavi, director of electrophysiology clinical research at the Texas Heart Institute. Razavi asked students working on their required capstone projects at Rice’s Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen to find a way to help his patients maintain their balance.The students, who call themselves “All the Feels,” solved the problem by dividing the foot into four zones. Under each they placed a sensor that measures the pressure on the foot, which is used to determine how much tactile sensation the user should feel. Above each sensor they placed a vibrating motor, not unlike that found inside a cellphone, to provide additional sensation to the wearer.They hope wearers will eventually learn to process the feedback unconsciously and adjust their strides automatically to navigate stairs or uneven terrain.“We’ve designed the system so it can be adjusted to the patient’s needs and degree of peripheral neuropathy,” Kehoe said.Rice University engineering student Yuqi Tang models a prototype sandal that includes a set of sensors and motors intended to help the wearer stay balanced. The prototype was built as a senior capstone design project at Rice’s Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen. Photo by Jeff Fitlow“You’ll feel exactly where you’re applying pressure,” Wen said. “The amount of vibration is proportional to the amount of pressure: If you apply a lot, you’ll feel a lot; if you apply just a little pressure, you get just a little vibration.”The four motor-sensor combinations under each foot operate with complete independence and were placed based on the areas of the foot that are most important for balance control. “How you respond to the vibrations shouldn’t be a conscious decision,” Kehoe added. “Your nervous system should react instantaneously.”The sensors and motors live for the moment in the middle of a one-size-fits-all sandal for testing, but the students expect that all the elements, including a custom circuit board and the power supply, can be miniaturized. That way, a user could move them between pairs of shoes.The team will demonstrate its invention at the George R. Brown School of Engineering Design Showcase April 13. More than 80 teams will vie for cash prizes at the annual event, which will be open to the public from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at Tudor Fieldhouse on the Rice campus.-30-See the team’s web page at http://oedk.rice.edu/Sys/PublicProfile/34396698/4029765Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNewsVideo:https://youtu.be/x3UD3YzedXwProduced by Brandon Martin/Rice UniversityRelated materials:Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen: http://oedk.rice.eduGeorge R. Brown School of Engineering: https://engineering.rice.eduImages for download: http://news.rice.edu/files/2017/04/0410_FEELS-4-web-15qq66i.jpgRice University engineering student Allen Hu works on the sensory feedback device to help the elderly and others with impaired sensation in their feet avoid falls. They hope their invention can be turned into a self-contained, battery-powered insert that can be used in any shoe. (Credit: Jeff Fitlow/Rice University) http://news.rice.edu/files/2017/04/0410_FEELS-1-web-1lplf12.jpgRice University engineering student Yuqi Tang models a prototype sandal that includes a set of sensors and motors intended to help the wearer stay balanced. The prototype was built as a senior capstone design project at Rice’s Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen. (Credit: Jeff Fitlow/Rice University) http://news.rice.edu/files/2017/04/0410_FEELS-2-web-1agxpux.jpgRice University engineering student Suzanne Wen constructs a piece of sensor-laden shoe intended to help the elderly and people with impaired sensation in their feet avoid falls. The project is a capstone design required of most Rice engineering students. (Credit: Jeff Fitlow/Rice University) http://news.rice.edu/files/2017/04/0410_FEELS-5-web-10l19k9.jpgRice University engineering students developed a sensor system that can help the elderly and those with impaired sensation in their feet avoid falls. From left: Daniel Zhang, Suzanne Wen, Yuqi Tang, Megan Kehoe and Allen Hu. (Credit: Jeff Fitlow/Rice University)Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 3,879 undergraduates and 2,861 graduate students, Rice’s undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for happiest students and for lots of race/class interaction by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. To read “What they’re saying about Rice,” go to http://tinyurl.com/RiceUniversityoverview. 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Share US BOSTON—U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren says she’s “100” percent concerned about reports of Russian hacking into the email accounts of Democratic officials.The Massachusetts Democrat is one of Republican President-elect Donald Trump’s fiercest critics. She said Thursday she’s also worried that Trump doesn’t seem to want to listen to U.S. intelligence agencies.Related CoverageTop US Intelligence Agency Doesn’t Support CIA Assessment on Russian Hacking: ReportWarren told The Associated Press that while Trump successfully tapped into the economic anxieties of many Americans, he now seems ready to hand over the keys to government to some of the very individuals who she says helped break the economy. She said that includes financier Steven Mnuchin, Trump’s pick for Treasury secretary.Asked if she’d ever want to run for president, Warren said “that’s not what I’m thinking about right now.” Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. during an interview at her office in Boston on Dec. 15, 2016. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) LINKEDINPINTERESTREDDITTUMBLRSTUMBLEUPON Share this article Show Discussion Sen. Warren ‘100’ Percent Concerned About Russian Hacking By The Associated Press December 15, 2016 Updated: December 15, 2016read more